Dripping Down

By Rabbi Joshua (intravenously known as The Hoffer) Hoffman

As part of the inauguration of the mishkan and the investiture of Aharon as the Kohen gadol, Moshe poured some of the shemen hamischah, the anointing oil, on the head of his brother, Aharon, as the Torah records, “And he poured from the anointing oil on the head of Aharon and he anointed him” (Vayikra 8:12). The Talmud (Horayos 12a), commenting on this verse, relates that two pearl-like drops of oil hung off the end of Aharon’s beard, and, as he spoke to people, these drops would ascend, and lodge on the roots of his beard, and thus not fall out. Moshe, says the Talmud, worried about this, fearing that perhaps he had committed me’ilah, the misappropriation of something holy, by using too much anointing oil. In response, a “bas kol,” a heavenly voice, citing a Scriptural verse, pronounced that he had not done so. Aharon, however, was still worried that perhaps he himself had committed me’ilah with the drops of oil, and another heavenly voice issued forth, citing the verse “How good and how pleasant it is, the dwelling of brothers in unity” (Tehillim 133:1), and saying that just as Moshe has not committed me’ilah, so, too, had Aharon not committed me’ilah.

Rav Moshe Soloveitchik, zt”l, of Switzerland, as cited in the compendium of his teachings, VeHaIsh Moshe, asks why the second heavenly voice cited the verse regarding brotherhood. After all, the main concern was that no me’ilah had been committed. Why bring up the issue of brotherhood? He answers that, from the reactions of Moshe and Aharon, to the appearance of the two drops of oil, we can learn an important lesson about brotherhood. Each of them could, actually, have reacted differently. Moshe could have thought, “I know that I certainly did not use extra oil, and thus did not commit me’ilah, but perhaps Aharon did so. Aharon, too, could have thought that he certainly didn’t commit me’ilah, but perhaps Moshe did. However, neither of them reacted in this way, suspecting his brother, but, rather each one searched himself, thinking that perhaps he had done something wrong. These mutual reactions reflected the great love that the two brothers had for each other, and that moved the heavenly voice to invoke the verse concerning brotherhood. This kind of attitude, continues Rav Soloveitchik, should be carried into home life, as well. When something goes wrong between two spouses, each one should think that perhaps he, or she, is to blame, rather than suspecting the other as causing the problem. In this way, peace and love will dwell between them and in the home.

Based on Rav Soloveitchik’s observation, we can understand the importance of this incident occurring during the inauguration of the mishkan. As we have mentioned in the past, the mishkan was to serve as a model for the Jewish home, bringing the divine presence to dwell among every Jewish family, as it did in the mishkan itself. This was symbolized by the two keruvim sitting atop the aron. According to one opinion in the Talmud, the keruvim were in the form of a male and a female. The relationship between the two spouses in the family determines the kind of atmosphere that pervades the home, and whether the divine presence dwells there. The relationship of Moshe and Aharon, as exhibited during the inauguration of the mishkan, teaches us the kind of relationship that should exist between spouses in a Jewish home, so that the divine presence will dwell there, as it did in the mishkan.

A good Shabbos and a joyous Purim to all from the Netvort crew!